As stated in the description, these are a 'faux linen' drape. Take 'faux linen' to mean 'fine plastic mesh." The tactile sensation reminds one of thin lawn chair webbing, the 'vintage' type that I grew up with in the '70s. However, you do have to be touching the drapes to appreciate the coarseness of the material.Visually, even up close, the ombre is nice and smooth, and the color ranges from nearly-white to nearly-black.They are sheer, but the darker end of the color does provide some darkeningSee full review